Is “The American Dream” Actually YOUR Dream?!
Less than 20% of us feel like we're living "The American Dream"...but, I am NOT going to show you how to become one of those 20%! I want you to rise to the elite 2%, who define their OWN success & achieve outrageous, tailor-made-FOR-YOU dreams!
A recent article by CNBC reported less than 20% of Americans feel like they’re living the “American Dream.”
The article outlines a laundry list of possible factors putting the American Dream out of reach for many Americans:
- Consumer debt
- Lack of financial literacy
- Stagnant wage growth
- Insecurity about the financial future
I am NOT going to show you how to become one of those 20% today!
Sadly, I spent YEARS chasing someone else’s version of success. I was making millions of dollars. My husband and I had the big house with tons of rooms (six bathrooms – SIX). The pool and the tennis court. Four cars for two drivers. Fancy clothes.
You know what else we had? Crippling debt. A broken marriage. Bitterness and unforgiveness stockpiled in our hearts. Health problems. Stress. Pressure. Dissatisfaction.
All because I chased after a dream someone else told me I “should” have for my life.
But listen, the Creator of the Universe made each of us unique and wonderful in His image. And we each have a specific, personalized calling for our life. So, rather than put on the appearance of success, decide what brings true meaning to YOUR life.
Think back to when you were a little kid. What did you want to be when you grew up? What things made your heart beat fast and stirred up all that excitement deep inside you?
When you were young, you had places you wanted to go, things you wanted to be and things you wanted to do. And you truly believed you would do them!
So, if I asked you TODAY, what would you do, if you KNEW you couldn’t fail, would that image match your childhood dreams? Now, go ahead and picture YOUR dream life today. What does it look like? Who is there? What is your daily routine? How does it feel? What are your priorities?
They may have a vague concept of a nice house, a great job making good money, and a happy family. But life is not “one-size-fits-all.” You get one shot at life, and YOU get to design it for yourself!
Now, here’s Step Two: Decide RIGHT NOW, starting today you will take action to move you in that direction. You WILL succeed, no matter what.
Behavior always follows BELIEF! Believe your dream life is not a fantasy. Walk, talk, act and live as though that dream life is already your reality. This opens the door to opportunities – and slams the door on any excuses.
Step Three: FOCUS. Whatever you focus on, you get good at. Create a strategy with achievable, milestone goals to reach your vision.
What areas in your life right now don’t match that vision you have for your life? What are you going to do to fix them? Could any of these sound familiar…
“Dani, I’m drowning in debt!”
Pull out your bank statement, then itemize everything on that list. Do you see places where you can cut your spending? Remember your goals, and be “ruthless” if necessary. Now, add up all that “fat” in your monthly spending.
Okay, here’s when it gets good… you can apply that “fat” to your smallest debt. When you pay off that debt, apply the amount you were paying to that creditor to your next debt, creating a “snowball” effect. This method will help you pay-off debt faster.
Spend your money wisely – and become an expert at distinguishing “needs” from “wants.”
Our clients have paid off MILLIONS of dollars in debt, using the trainings right here on DaniJohnson.com. If you FOCUS, and commit to these teachings, you will become financially independent.
[RELATED: 78% Of Americans Are Drowning In Debt – You DON’T Have To Be One Of Them]
“Dani, my business is failing!”
If your business is failing…
…you’ve probably lost sight of your vision. Where is your focus? Are you focused exclusively making money?
When you chase money, it runs from you. Instead, shift your focus to helping other people succeed. Help your prospects get what they want, and the money will follow.
If you work with a split-focus, you can’t get results. First, relieve yourself of the distractions and pressure possibly clouding your vision, such as:
- Putting food on the table
- Paying the mortgage
- Replaying the fight you had with your spouse
- Anticipating your golf game this weekend
Decide how you will help just ONE person succeed today, and allocate your time with that SINGLE priority.
“Dani, I hate my job!”
Let me tell you a little secret. If you hate your job, you’ll never make more money in your job!
Your mindset determines what you have in your life. Shift your focus from complaining and whining about your job, to instead focusing on filling needs within your company or client base.
What skills can you provide or learn to add value to your organization? How can you relieve the stress from your boss? How can you help your business succeed today?
Again, shift your focus away from the negative, and take action. Even better, find something you like about your boss or a coworker, and write them a thank you note or letter of encouragement.
What you focus on, you find. When you focus on positives – guess what – you find MORE positives! Your mind has the power to cultivate gratitude and happiness.
[RELATED: Want to stop dreading Monday mornings? Check this out.]
Your vision for your life is a total change in your mindset. You’ve moved away from a 98%-er mindset and adopted the 2%-er mindset.
Everything you do, you will now process through a filter in your brain: “Will what I’m about to do bring me closer to my dreams… or moving me further away from the life I want?”
Let me tell you a story about Brad, one of our clients. At one point in his life, Brad appeared to “have it all.” He had the nice car, a six-figure income, a great house, a high-power, secure job – but he absolutely hated everything about his life.
He had no hopes or dreams, was divorced and planned to commit suicide. He even had a plan for his suicide. He knew how and when – he had already written a note to his family, to deliver on Christmas.
Isn’t that heartbreaking?! From the outside, his life looked like a success, but on the inside, Brad had no purpose.
“My brother dragged me out to a First Steps To Success. My family had been going [to events] for maybe 6 months and I figured they’d joined some cult, you know? But I had nowhere else to go. I already knew I was going to be dead, so what was the worst that could happen?” 
What Brad found was an experience he never expected. For most of his life he’d felt worthless and hopeless. Yet somehow, he connected with a group of people he’d never met before, who accepted and believed in him.
Since coming to First Steps To Success, he’s paid off $280K in debt, met and married the woman of his dreams and began loving his job!
His job performance increased so much, he went from stagnating professionally to receiving promotions and raises. All because he found purpose! He recognized fancy cars and status – and the debt that came along with them – didn’t make him happy. They lacked real meaning.
(P.S., Brad came to his first, First Steps To Success in 2011, and he is still attending events, continuing to chase after his dreams!)
Brad’s story is not unique… many Americans out there chase “The American Dream.” See, society SOLD you a vision of how your life “SHOULD” look. And too many of us chase that idea of success – relentlessly!
It’s right here, in this video. Check it out:
At First Steps To Success, multi-millionaire, wife, mom and grandmother, Dani Johnson, will equip you with simple strategies to see immediate change in your life. She will transfer her success skills to you, through this unique and experiential learning event! Proven techniques, world-class strategy and a powerful execution plan will be yours forever.
See you in San Diego!